Levels of optimism are much higher than six months ago among finance professionals and their employers, according to the 2010 Reed Accountancy & Reed Finance Salary and Benefits Guide – which polled over 200,000 jobseekers and 40,000 employers in a wide range of sectors across the UK.

With 59% of employers optimistic about improving trading conditions and 71% of individuals saying they intend to look for a new finance job in 2010, retention of key finance staff will be a challenge across the public sector, private sector and also within accountancy firms this year.

Despite last year’s much-publicised pay cuts and pay freezes, the majority of finance professionals reported receiving slight pay increases (1.5 to 2.5% on average). Pay rates in the public sector rose by the most (between 2.5 and 3%). The recession created increased demand for more specialist finance roles – in particular within audit, recovery, restructuring and change management.

2010 – A year of change

Even though 43% of individuals said they felt secure within their current position, with growing levels of confidence there is likely to be a rise in the movement of finance professionals between organisations throughout 2010. The survey uncovered notable discrepancies between the perceptions of employers and employees: 71% of employers said they believed their employees were loyal to their organisation. Meanwhile, while only 25% of employees felt that they are rewarded adequately in their current role – suggesting that pay rates will become an increasingly important factor in a ‘war for talent retention’ in the coming year. Financial analysis, financial risk management and compliance will continue to be key skills in demand during 2010, while aspiring jobseekers will be attracted to perceived fast-growth sectors such as energy (from nuclear to renewables), digital technology and online media.

Reed Finance Director Tim Vye commented: “With the UK emerging steadily out of recession and a general election before the summer, 2010 may be an uncertain year for some employers. However, recruiting and retaining the best finance talent will be a priority as the job market moves away from being employer-driven. “2010 will also mean fresh changes for finance professionals in all market sectors. 64% of respondents in our survey said the role of the accountant has changed significantly over recent years, with a far greater need for people skills, strategic thinking and commercial acumen.”

Recruitment within Small and Medium-sized Enterprises (SMEs) has shown encouraging increases recently. Many employers are increasingly looking for finance professionals with ‘future boardroom potential’.

GREEN shoots, double-dips, doom and gloom, staggering unemployment figures – we’ve seen it all in the media this year, but finally there is some hope on the horizon, with 67% of accountants expecting a return to growth by June 2010.

It would be easy to assume that there is no recruitment activity out there at all. On the contrary, there have been some very credible reports on how finance departments have fared better than most other business functions.

There have been some significant changes to the role of an accountant but there’s never been a more exciting time to be part of the profession. There have certainly been some clear winners and losers as a result of the turbulent changes within 2009.

Within some sectors, finance professionals have experienced pay cuts of up to 20% of salary. Many Financial Directors have overseen reductions or removal of bonus schemes – including their own.

On a more positive note, there has been an increasing optimism amongst fast-growing, innovative and ambitious businesses – which are still prepared to pay competitive packages to secure the right talent. Interim and project professionals have had a busy year, with reports showing how the demand for interims has been consistent during this recession.

In fact, Reed Finance has never had more interims out working on assignments than they have currently. Just like in previous recessions, many organizations have made use of a more flexible workforce within their finance departments and turned to hr consulting and contracting services. Day rates for the most expert and specialist interim contractors have been resilient throughout the year.

Some industry sectors that have been regarded as being hit hardest by the market conditions have also been some of the most active recruiters. A number of organisations in financial services, manufacturing and the leisure sector have been using recruiting significantly – as a result of significant structural changes.

An entrepreneurial spirit and a sense of now-or-never amongst companies with aggressive expansion strategies, has definitely been noticed. This has all created an increased need for experienced finance professionals; with these employers looking for hands-on accountants who are interested in exciting, opportunistic projects.

Finance experts within the retail sector have survived the recession well, with recruitment levels maintained. Recruitment of senior finance posts within the Public and Third Sectors also remained constant in the first half of 2009.

The statistics are staggering. Challenger, Grey & Christmas employment tracking service reported in the year 2000 that 2453 employees were downsized from pharmaceutical companies. By the year 2008, that number had reached over 24,880.

However in 2009, it has almost doubled to more than 53,000 eliminated jobs. According to Denise Wilkerson, Director of Executives Search, “With lay-offs on the rise, our clients needed our assistance to make career transitions smoother for displaced employees. As a leader in the recruitment industry, we feel outplacement services go hand in hand with recruiting services. We want to assist our clients during the difficult times, as well as the times of growth.”

The one-on-one career consultation program is designed to support displaced employees. The program is offered to client companies at reasonable corporate rates.” The Personalized Program includes:

· Personalized Career Plan Consultation with a Career Transition Consultant
· Cover Letter and Resume Writing Assistance
· Assistance and instruction on job search techniques and networking
· Guidance and instruction during the interview process
· 24hour / 7 days a week online web based Career Center

Global Edge Recruiting announces the launch of their newly revised website. The updated website is based upon 13 years of successful web marketing experience in the medical sales recruiting marketplace. The new site allows individuals to access current information on how to succeed in today’s tough employment market in either a hiring or job-seeking role. Although designed for medical sales professionals, many of the tools and information are transferable to any sales or marketing discipline.

Currently, Global Edge Recruiting.com has over 200,000 hits each month demonstrating the reach of it’s resources on the web. According to Director of Executive Search, Denise Wilkerson, “The Career Center has always been a popular destination on our site. It contains information to assist job seekers in learning how to develop their resume, enter into a job search and successfully interview for a medical or pharmaceutical sales job. It is our hope that the information we provide can help make the job search and interview process easier for those experiencing difficulty in this market.”

Company officials are also citing successes in outplacement services. These services benefit both candidates and clients (employers) by assisting the displaced. The new website offers ongoing career information to assist candidates through periods of career transitioning.

Denise Wilkerson adds, “With the changes in our website, we hope to continue to meet the needs and expectations of both our clients and candidates. The unique tools provided by the new site really help us understand the sales candidate so that we may match them with the appropriate job. Conversely, the site also helps the staff find the talented, competitive individuals that today’s top medical sales companies are seeking.”

The new website was converted from a static site to a dynamic site. This allows“real time” recruiter changes allowing for immediate job postings or changes. According to officials, this helps attract talent when timelines are short or assist in simply getting information out in a very timely manner. The updates also allow for a recruiter blog and question submission area.

For more information about this topic or to schedule an interview with Randy Wilkerson, please call 877-370-2462.

Reed has undergone an extensive research process in order to compare the reaction of recessionary pressures in 2009 to those of the 1992 recession. This comprehensive study is a part of the Keep Britain Working initiative, which was developed by the recruitment services provider.

From the very beginning of this research it is clear that today’s employers are responding very differently to recessionary pressures than those of 1992.

This is in spite of the fact that an identical percentage of organisations in both the 2009 and 1992 studies – 44% – said they had made redundancies as a direct response to the downturn.

Where organizations in early 1992 felt compelled to radically re-engineer their staffing structures, in 2009 something else is happening. In 1992 over 67% of organisations indicated that staffing structures had been changed by the recession. Managers were particularly hard hit by redundancies and were predicted to be least in demand in the upturn, as companies de-layered across the board. The multi-layered, hierarchical organisation was replaced by something much flatter and therefore more flexible.

Redundancies seemed to be imposed with what often sounded like brutal relish. They were characterised by phrases such as “stripping out the dead wood” or “cutting out anyone over the age of 50”, heralding the end of the “job for life”.

Two decades ago 40% of employers identified their most successful recession-driven change as “increasing central controls”. In contrast only 20% encouraged greater employee co-operation. This smaller group actively introduced higher levels of internal communications and staff training, multi-skilling workers to perform across previously rigidly demarcated roles. While it was feared at the time that mass redundancies would jeopardize what was known as the “psychological contract”, in retrospect the actions of this smaller group sowed the seeds of a new relationship between staff and managers which the best organisations appear to have built upon ever since.

In 2009, in contrast to 1992, redundancies have hit across the board, but have not changed the shape or staffing structure of organisations. In 1992 67% said a fundamental shift in staffing patterns occurred, today people are split 50/50. This report shows a different process is occurring, involving a more fundamental shift in attitudes amongst employers and workers.

If you have ever wondered about how organizations and employees have reacted to the current recession and how this compares to responses to the previous recession, then Reed has the answers you are looking for. In fact, Reed has taken it one step further to include information about what we can look to predict in terms of the new challenges and opportunities people challenge, from these reactions.

Reed have undertaken a comprehensive study which benchmarks a new survey of over 600 organisations – representing all sectors, sizes and locations – against research completed in Spring 1992, in the depths of the last UK recession.

The results are fascinating. They reveal that a sea-change has taken place. Yes, employers across the country are making recession-fuelled redundancies, but today this is only one part of their response. Organisations from Corus to KPMG are dramatically flexing worker terms and conditions, including benefits, hours and pay, thereby reducing costs while retainingstaff.

In 1992 a culture of partnership between workers and bosses was the exception. Now, a spirit of informed co-operation is widespread and this has enabled a far more flexible response to this downturn. This bodes well for a swift resurgence when the upturn comes.

The study reveals just how much this recession has strengthened the role of HR professionals, accelerating their move to the strategic centre of organisations as they implement and lead their employers’ responses to the downturn. Yet in spite of this, a key finding of this research is the prediction that skills shortages will be an even greater threat to recovery this time than in the aftermath of 1992.

Employers tell us that as soon as the upturn comes they will recruit to replace the staff that they have cut. This applies to all roles, across all levels. However, skilled staff are the only category where things are noticeably different. Organisations plan to recruit considerably more skilled staff once recovery begins than they have cut in the downturn.

This suggests that the UK’s recovery faces a very real threat from growing skills shortages. The problem will become even more acute as post-recession Britain moves further towards becoming a high-skill economy.

This issue demands attention from both business and government, as it will not resolve itself. A key national priority must be to re-tool and re-skill the workforce, to keep Britain working.

Career Wizards Inc. (formerly A Resume Wizard & Services) has announced a new business name and expanded service offerings in responding to opportunities created by the current economic condition and an increasing demand for quality career services.

A Resume Wizard & Services was founded in 1998 by current President and CEO, Deanne Arnath, who will continue in this role with Career Wizards. “Our rebranding is the culmination of the ongoing, extensive feedback we’ve received from career professionals and job seekers interested in a comprehensive suite of services intrinsically designed to meet their diverse needs,” Arnath says.

According to Arnath, the expanded service offerings available from Career Wizards include resume writing, individual career assessments, career coaching and webinars, social networking instruction and assistance, professional network development, and recruiter introduction services.

Arnath adds that the company’s services are easily accessible via the Web. “We have made all of our services available online to offer greater convenience to busy job seekers and career professionals.”

“One of our goals in rebranding the company is to bring some credibility back to our industry with regard to upfront pricing and customer service. We recognized an urgent need to raise the bar with responsive, personalized service, because many individuals unfortunately encounter frustrating obstacles when trying to advance their careers due to a lack of expertise and professionalism from service providers,” she says.

Arnath says the company’s new service offerings will enable it to maintain a distinct position in the career services industry. “With our newly developed image and expanded business operations, we are in a prime position to provide customers with a unique and comprehensive set of services delivered by a staff of highly experienced career experts.”

Arnath and her team of career experts collectively hold a number of industry certifications, which include the Certified Professional Resume Writer, Nationally Certified Resume Writer, Certified Federal Resume Writer, Certified Advanced Resume Writer, and Certified Career Management Coach.

Arnath is a contributing author for a number of career-related books and publications and has been published in Resumes for the Rest of Us: Secrets from the Pros for Job Seekers with Unconventional Career Paths, Directory of Professional Resume Writers: How to Find and Work with a Pro to Accelerate Your Job Search, and No-Nonsense Job Interviews: How to Impress Prospective Employers and Ace Any Interview.

Arnath also lectures at colleges and universities in the Dallas/Fort Worth area and participates in job seeker education programs with organizations such as the Graduate School of Business at the University of Texas at Dallas and Women for Hire Job Fairs.

Leading recruiter Reed Specialist Recruitment has launched a sophisticated but simple to use global website to help organisations and jobseekers quickly and easily find the right talent or role in 12 different countries – the UK, Australia, Bulgaria, Czech Republic, Hong Kong, Hungary, Ireland, Malta, Poland, Qatar, Singapore and the United Arab Emirates.

Developed at a cost of approximately £250,000 in association with Golley Slater Digital, www.reedglobal.com has four local language versions – Bulgaria, Czech Republic, Hungary and Poland – twitter and RSS feed options, salary guides, reports and recruitment case studies, as well as useful talent finder and send us a vacancy functions.

Reed Specialist Recruitment marketing director Mark Milner explains the thinking behind this significant investment in the online recruitment space: “With the internet now an essential part of so many people’s working and leisure lives around the world, we wanted to make our recruitment expertise and experience readily available locally to employers looking to bring in the best local talent, and jobseekers in search of the right opportunity.

“By integrating the service offerings of Reed Consulting and Reed Learning into www.reedglobal.com, candidates and clients alike can use the site as a one-stop shop for recruitment and HR consulting.”

In the UK, the site has been carefully integrated with www.reed.co.uk – the UK’s largest jobsite – which contains easily searchable details of 100,00 live vacancies and approximately two million jobseekers, and regularly receives in excess of 1.5 million job applications each month.

Looking ahead, Reed are looking at the possibility of developing a mobile platform, as well as enabling greater interaction with consultants live on the site through functions such as instant messenger and live chat.

About Reed Specialist Recruitment:
Founded in 1960, Reed is a specialist provider of permanent, contract, temporary and outsourced recruitment solutions, as well as IT and HR consulting.

Nannies and Housekeepers apply for work usually with experience; however, very few are well rounded in all areas so that they can offer themselves as certified professionals in the field. In this economy, the more you know and can offer up as talents and skills, the more likely you are the one to be selected for the job and less likely to be fired.

A professional domestic should learn have good basic childcare skills, and know how to clean, cook, do laundry, flower arranging, table setting and serving along with knowing how to conduct themselves on a job when problems arise and how to communicate properly with their employers in an effort build and maintain a strong employer/employee relationship.

In this economy business owners must work smarter. CBC’s M-5 Group gives them the tools and resources to bridge the gap between struggling and thriving. Corporate Benefit Coordinators is proud to announce its newly formed Integrated Business Solutions model, the M-5 Group. Currently comprised of nine powerful firms that deliver innovative quality employee benefits, top-rated retirement plans, more efficient web-based payroll services, premier CPA auditing and consulting, and more, the M-5 Group provides business owners a virtual one-stop shop for all their business needs. Each M-5 Group member brings unique strengths, dedication and specific business know-how within each of their respective fields. Unlike the normal business model wherein the business owner solicits and engages with several entities to fulfill company requirements, the M-5 Group provides an impressive array of independently operated firms that provide business resources that the employer can utilize to streamline and efficiently position his/her company in an ever-more-challenging business environment. Member groups include:

• Brucker and Morra – The largest Southern California firm that exclusively practices employee benefits law, this company has a deep understanding of every nuance of tax and labor law, including but not limited to 401K, IRS and DOL compliance initiatives and self-correction alternatives, ERISA litigation and family law.

• CommerceWest Bank – Core values, consistency, reliability and a dedication to the highest level of service standards for clients is what this regional and business banking institution is all about. With special features, including Remote Deposit Solution, Concierge, Banking by Appointment, NetBanker Online Cash Management, 48-Hour Turnaround and 24/7 Emergency Banking, CommerceWest stands heads above the competition.

• ING Retirement Services – One of the largest and most formidable leaders in the U.S. retirement services marketplace, ING closed its acquisition of CitiStreet, thus reinforcing its long-term commitment to the business and further strengthening its ability to design and deliver best-in-class customer solutions.

• Lesley, Thomas, Schwartz & Postma – A full-service, certified public accounting firm dedicated to providing a full spectrum of customized accounting and advisory services to solve business problems and achieve business goals, this firm has a proven track record for producing results.

• The Pension Group, Inc. – A committed, premier retirement-plan design and administration service group dedicated to Profit Sharing, 401k, Pension Plans and New Comparability/Tiered Plans, The Pension Group’s professional approach saves both time and money for businesses and creates on-going value for clients with appropriate, timely, accurate, personalized service.

WTS CEO, Leo Blatz, RN, MSN, and Todd Cleckley, Vice President of Business Development, recently met with hospital officials in Hamilton, Bermuda to finalize contract negotiations and toured the state of the art facility. Bermuda is experiencing a shortage of nurses, physicians, and allied healthcare professionals. This need prompted King Edward VII Hospital to look beyond their borders for healthcare staff. WTS specializes in the recruitment of nurses and other healthcare professionals for short and long term assignments (3 months to 3 years) throughout the United States and around the world.

WTS will have its first American nurse on Bermuda in April 2009, with others to follow in the coming months. WTS is the only US firm that is currently recruiting on behalf of King Edward VII Hospital and the Bermuda Hospital Board.

Worldwide Travel Staffing (WTS) was founded in 1993 to assist hospitals with their staffing needs by providing contract healthcare staff. WTS CEO, Leo Blatz, R.N., M.S.N. has lead the company’s expansion from being solely focused on domestic contracts to expanding their services internationally to include recruiting contracts in Bermuda, Guam, Ireland, U.K, and U.S. Virgin Islands among others. WTS has been listed by Inc. magazine as one of America’s fastest growing private companies for two years in 2007 and 2008.

Hays, leading specialist recruitment company, has reported that the need for employers to fine-tune their sales teams is becoming ever greater during the current downturn. An experienced sales team that can hit targets and deliver much needed income streams will help organisations counter the adverse recessionary forces prevalent in the
marketplace.

“There is a demand for field sales operatives at the moment across industry sectors for all levels of experience, particularly junior and middle range roles. Demand for senior appointments has been more affected by the downturn but there are still good opportunities for the right calibre of individual,” said Kevin Dunbar, National Business Development Manager at Hays Sales, “Having a strong sales force in place, underpinned by an effective strategy, remains one of the best ways for organisations to trade out of this recession.”

One area where the demand for sales experience has become apparent is in the public sector, with a particular focus on IT field sales. Continued investment by government in the upgrade of its IT development infrastructure has led to an increase in demand for experienced professionals.

Kevin continued, “Professionals with public sector account management experience, for example in the health and central government sectors, are in demand”.

A track record of success is very important in an industry where achievements are highly visible and dependent on targets being met. The rewards for the right people also remain competitive and individuals can expect a company car, laptop, mobile, as well as other standard benefits, such as pensions and private healthcare.

“Uncapped commission is still being offered by some companies and this remains one of the key benefits offered,” Kevin added.

One of the main issues facing employers is attracting a suitable calibre of applicant, as the sales discipline suffers from high levels of staff turnover. Ensuring that the recruitment process runs smoothly is imperative. Kevin explained,”Employers can sometimes recruit the wrong person for the role in the first place and this leads to increased attrition rates. This can be reduced by preparing detailed job and person specifications, carefully highlighting the competencies required, and establishing a thorough interview process.”

Despite the difficulties faced by certain sectors of the economy, the demand for field sales remains resilient. “The individuals that are most in demand are those that are not simply managing existing clients but also achieve business development with new clients,” Kevin concluded.

About Hays:
Hays Sales is part of Hays plc, the leading global specialist recruitment group and specialises in a wide range of sales jobs from fundraising jobs to telesales jobs. It is market leader in the UK and Australia, and one of the market leaders in Continental Europe. As at 30 June 2008, the Group employed 8,872 staff operating from 393 offices in 27 countries across 17 specialisms.

For the year ended 30 June 2008:
– the Group had revenues of £2.5 billion, net fees of £786.8 million and operating profit before exceptional items of £253.8 million;
– the Group placed around 80,000 candidates into permanent jobs and around 300,000 people into temporary assignments;
– the temporary placement business represented 49% of net fees and the permanent placement business represented 51% of net fees.

Hays, specialist recruitment company, reports the demand for senior professionals across the UK is buoyant across all disciplines of the insurance sector, including commercial broking, underwriting, claims and actuarial. Despite the general market uncertainty, there have been a steady number of senior insurance appointments, both in the London and UK regional markets.

“We are experiencing a steady flow of recruitment activity for a range of senior insurance roles, from commercial account executives to senior underwriters, claims and pricing managers. While employers are keen to take on individuals with very specific skill sets, some professionals are wary about changing jobs in the current climate,” said David Carr, Regional Director for Hays Insurance. The demand for project managers is also growing, as many organisations focus on saving money and improving specific areas of their businesses in order to drive efficiencies, manage finances and make a tangible impact on the bottom line.

Compliance requirements for blue-chip insurance organisations to adhere to the industry regulations implemented by the Financial Services Authority (FSA) and the European Commission have fuelled demand for experienced regulatory and compliance managers. “These individuals can provide support and guidance on all aspects of business compliance. An understanding of the Solvency 2 Framework (to be implemented in 2012) and individual capital assessment are also advantageous,” added David.

The growing importance of risk management across a business has also brought about a requirement for experienced actuaries and recruitment levels for suitably qualified professionals have not slowed. Senior actuaries are important decision-makers – commercial acumen, communication skills and the ability to explain complex concepts to a non-technical audience are all key competencies sought by employers. “Increasingly complex capital models need to be formulated to adhere to the regulatory changes. Business development, risk management and risk re-pricing are all prized skills,” commented David.

While the demand for underwriting managers and directors remains steady, there is a particular emphasis on niche products and specialist underwriting roles, in areas such as commercial property and liability. But there is also demand for senior claims roles and partner level opportunities within the larger broking houses. There are also senior director positions available for reinsurance professionals in the City, as primary insurers are hedging their risk positions to ensure their liquidity ratios meet obligations.

“There has been an increase in reinsurance given the climate of loss minimisation and this is further helping to support the insurance sector during the difficult economic climate,” David concluded.

About Hays Insurance
Hays Insurance is part of Hays plc, the leading global specialist recruitment group and specialises in insurance jobs. It is market leader in the UK and Australia, and one of the market leaders in Continental Europe. As at 30 June 2008, the Group employed 8,872 staff operating from 393 offices in 27 countries across 17 specialisms.

For the year ended 30 June 2008:

– the Group had revenues of £2.5 billion, net fees of £786.8 million and operating profit before exceptional items of £253.8 million;
– the Group placed around 80,000 candidates into permanent jobs and around 300,000 people into temporary assignments;
– the temporary placement business represented 49% of net fees and the permanent placement business represented 51% of net fees.

Joblux Limited is delighted to announce the launch of joblux.us, unique online recruitment services for the US market, dedicated to the luxury sector. Joblux unique services to the luxury professionals, employers, recruiters and jobseekers alike, cover any job category within the luxury industry worldwide.

Why joblux.us?

After joblux.co.uk, Joblux unique concept successfully entered the French market with Joblux.fr. Entering today the US market, Joblux Limited intends to make available to US employers, recruiters and jobseekers alike its luxury-centric dedicated services and information. Made by top end human resources professionals from the luxury sectors, it aims at uniting luxury market professional jobs around a focused, high quality, careers and recruitment website.

Joblux Limited

Joblux Limited is a unique and original concept in Jobs and Recruitment online services for the luxury industry’s professionals. Joblux’s recruitment websites offer a great resource for employment sectors, covering the following domains at a high level: Fashion, Jewellery, Creative & Design, High end Hospitality, Lifestyle, Beauty, Fine Food, Media, PR, etc.

Apart from keeping the control on their recruitment process and having the guaranty of reaching a targeted jobseekers audience of quality, employers will make massive savings on their recruitment costs by using our premier online recruitment services such as our Premium Ads, CV Bank service, Banners system and branding.

Recruitment/placement agencies operating within the luxury market will find with us an efficient recruitment website to get a targeted & quality jobseekers traffic to fill their vacancies all the year long. Please get in touch to know more about our bespoke media packages for recruitment professionals.

Luxury industry professionals from all sectors find with Joblux an exquisite careers website to help them find the job they have in mind. Fashion career opportunities, Jewellery jobs, Creative openings, High end Hospitality and Lifestyle roles, Fine Food positions, Beauty careers & more broadly all luxury jobs are with joblux.us. Registering a CV with Joblux.us gives access to a unique application management system and this totally free of charge. High end professionals may as well search job advertisements such as “Store Manager Prestigious Jewellery Brand” or “Directing all aspects of brand development and marketing” or “We are looking for a Fashion Merchandiser to join …”

Hays, the leading specialist recruitment consultancy, has revealed that marketing professionals are benefiting from the steady flow of jobs being created by the public sector and certain skill sets, such as communication roles, are experiencing an increase in demand. These roles are coming into their own during the current downturn, given the need for employers to bolster levels of employee engagement, drive productivity and push the efficiency agenda during these economically challenging times.

As the interest in public sector marketing opportunities grows, the added job security and range of flexible benefits offered are luring communications professionals away from the private sector. The majority of marketing jobs in the public sector are communications related with an internal or external focus: “There are opportunities for suitably qualified communications professionals right across the public sector, from entry level Communications Assistant through to the more senior roles, including Head of Internal Communications or Communications Director,” informed Matt Anderson, Managing Director at Hays Marketing.

Skills can be easily transferred from the private sector, although previous experience is an advantage and jobseekers need to demonstrate a sound knowledge of the systems and processes that are used by public sector organisations.

“Given the intense competition for roles at the moment, jobseekers need to show a strong degree of commercial awareness and be able to communicate with internal and external stakeholders alike,” continued Matt Anderson.

A stronger desire to work in the public sector was one of the key findings of a recentHays survey, which revealed a marked rise in the number of professionals looking to cross over from the private to the public sector in 2009, as compared with a year ago. Almost three in four respondents cited a greater level of job security as the main reason for considering a switch of sectors (73%), followed by an improved work-life balance (59%) and the enhanced benefits on offer in the public sector (37%).

“Some applicants are considering a reduction in salary as a trade off for the enhanced job security of the public sector but there are still some very interesting opportunities for professionals to develop their careers,” noted Matt Anderson.

Although recruitment activity in the public sector remains more buoyant than the private sector, opportunities still exist for experienced communication professionals, particularly within some of the larger commercial organisations.

About Hays
Hays Marketing is part of Hays plc, the leading global specialist recruitment group, specialising in a broad range of marketing jobs from pr jobs to digital marketing jobs. Hays is market leader in the UK and Australia, and one of the market leaders in Continental Europe. As at 30 June 2008, the Group employed 8,872 staff operating from 393 offices in 27 countries across 17 specialisms. For the year ended 30 June 2008:

– the Group had revenues of £2.5 billion, net fees of £786.8 million and operating profit before exceptional items of £253.8 million;
– the Group placed around 80,000 candidates into permanent jobs and around 300,000 people into temporary assignments;
– the temporary placement business represented 49% of net fees and the permanent placement business represented 51% of net fees.

According to the leading specialist recruitment consultancy, Hays, although recruitment activity has been affected by the downturn and slowed in the legal market as a whole, there are still opportunities for high calibre in-house lawyers. The market for interim roles, for example, is relatively buoyant and this route offers an excellent way to gain relevant experience as an in-house lawyer.

Lawyers need to be prepared and focused given the tougher market conditions. Strong technical skills and a track record of advising clients, either through prior permanent in-house or secondment experience, is a definite plus. Given the current climate, jobseekers can stand out by updating their skills in certain areas of legislation. “It is definitely worth brushing up on areas such as employment law, restructuring and insolvency work, and we would advise jobseekers to do so as these areas will be experiencing an upsurge in activity over the next 12 months,” noted Nick Creed, Business Director at Hays Legal.

He continued, “The downturn is throwing up some good interim opportunities to cover absences, such as maternity leave”.

Jobseekers must make sure that they are well prepared as competition for roles is intense and they must be very clear about the reasons why they are applying for a particular role. There should be a strong focus directed on the interview process, as thorough preparation will set applicants apart and ensure a better chance of securing a role. Keeping an open mind and not having preconceptions about a particular industry sector is also important.

“It’s as much about the people you are going to be working with as the actual industry itself,” explained Nick, “so keep your options open and explore available opportunities in sectors you may not have otherwise considered.”

Moving to an in-house role from private practice is another viable option and one where transferable skills, such as customer relationship management, will prove beneficial and facilitate the transition. In-house lawyers are involved in many different aspects of strategy, which not only requires a solid understanding of the business but also the communication skills to strip down often complex legalese.

While prior experience is an advantage, any previous in-house exposure will be advantageous. Asking for a secondment to a client, if working for a law firm, is one way of gaining experience. “This can be an invaluable stepping stone, even if it is just for three months, as you are cementing your understanding of what an in-house lawyer actually does on a daily basis. The key is to keep your private practice experience as broad as you can.” Advised Nick.

Hays Legal is part of Hays plc, the leading global specialist recruitment group and specialises in legal jobs including legal secretary jobs and paralegal jobs. Hays is market leader in the UK and Australia, and one of the market leaders in Continental Europe. On 30 June 2008, the Group employed 8,872 staff operating from 393 offices in 27 countries across 17 specialisms.

Hays, specialist recruiter, reports that although recruitment in some areas of the commercial market has slowed, the demand for PAs in the public sector is holding firm. A number of opportunities are being created, particularly temporary positions, in the health, central government and education sectors.

The public sector is increasingly becoming an employer of choice for PAs, primarily as a result of added job security, pensions, and work-life benefits. For example, some Primary Care Trusts (PCTs) are currently embarking on a programme of recruiting permanent staff.

“As well as a buoyant demand for temporary positions in the public sector, we are experiencing growth for permanent PA roles, especially within the education sector, which is evident in the roles we have recently recruited to. This trend is also reflected in those being advertised in the press,” commented Bethan Robbins, Regional Manager for Hays Secretarial.

Despite the economic backdrop, there are good opportunities for PAs with a commercial background to enhance their careers and gain new experiences by moving into the public sector. While prior experience is sometimes seen as an advantage and is preferred in some cases, skills can be transferred from one sector to the other. This has been borne out by recruitment volumes.

Bethan Robbins explained: “We have seen an increase in the number of candidates with commercial or banking experience, applying for advertised jobs online, and subsequently registering with Hays Secretarial. It is, however, important that PA jobseekers have a solid grasp of the challenges and demands of the public sector and understand how the various organisations operate.”

The health sector is one such sector where there remains a strong demand for temporary staff. However, the demand for experienced medical secretaries working on temporary placements can fluctuate depending on the time of year and is a trend that Hays has been seeing throughout the whole of Greater London.

A previous Hays survey revealed that the interest generated in public sector jobs has increased significantly: almost three in four respondents are now more likely to consider a move to the public sector than at the same point last year. The majority are also prepared to take some form of pay cut in exchange for improved job security within the public sector. “Many of these candidates will consider a reduction in salary as the trade-off for job security in the current job market,” confirmed Bethan Robbins.

About Hays

Hays Secretarial is part of Hays plc, the leading global specialist recruitment group and specialises in PA and secretarial jobs including senior, medical and legal secretary jobs. Hays is the market leader in the UK and Australia, and one of the market leaders in Continental Europe. At the end of June 2008, the Group employed 8,872 staff operating from 393 offices in 27 countries across 17 specialisms.

Exec-Appointments has been nominated in the Best Job Board category at the 2008 Recruiter Awards for Excellence. Exec-Appointments, which was acquired by the Financial Times in November 2007, recently achieved 200,000 registered executives on its website. It also has over 10,000 MBAs who are members of MBA-Direct.com. Exec-Appointments has a strong brand, recognised internationally by both clients and candidates alike.

Exec-Appointments which focuses on high-earning executive jobs, has a major presence in online recruitment. It has a successful core product – which focuses on senior management jobs and boasts the highest proportion of C-suite, director and senior manager visitors and highest average income visitors to any UK online job site – and two specialist products targeting MBAs and Non-Executive Directors.

Betty Thayer, Chief Executive of Exec-Appointments said, “I am delighted that Exec-Appointments has been short listed for these awards, recognition of a highly successful year for the company.”

The nomination comes less than six months after the company was bought by the Financial Times. The change in ownership has increased the exposure of Exec-Appointments vacancies, with the job board gaining direct access to the FT.com network where jobs are listed next to articles and analysis on the Financial Times website.

About Exec Appointments Exec-appointments.com is owned by the Financial Times company and is the leading, award winning online site for executive jobs, including permanent, interim, contract, non-executive and senior voluntary positions in the UK and abroad. Launched in response to demand for a high quality, online recruitment advertising service, exec-appointments.com has formed a number of important associations and conducted research on the role and attitudes of non-executive directors. Exec Appointments established The Non Executive Director, the major Europe-wide source of information and comment on non-executive directors, which is produced in association with Ernst & Young. It also runs MBA-Direct, a global leader for MBA jobs, providing a professional online service for MBA students, alumni, executive recruiters and the world’s leading business schools. The company was founded by Betty Thayer (CEO), an advocate for Women in Business and former Chair of the Remuneration Committee of Think London. The company headquarters are situated in Bath, a World Heritage Site in Somerset.

Some of the biggest names in the financial services sector are recruiting for so called “graduate bootcamps” via recruitment consultancies. The bootcamp scheme aims to plug the extreme skills shortage currently affecting the banking sector by offering graduate jobs in banking (http://www.joslinrowe.com/graduate) on a temporary rather than permanent basis, where each recruit is intensively trained into a very specific junior role as an interim measure.

Alex Niarchos, manager of Joslin Rowe Temporaries, recruits graduates for many of London’s investment banks including the boot camp initiative. He says, “Essentially, the scheme gives banks the flexibility to hire someone straight away on an ongoing contract for as long as they need in a certain area which is particularly short staffed. Although this isn’t a permanent role it can often lead to one and however long or short the assignment, it does mean that graduates temping on the scheme will have considerable experience at the end of it and be eminently more employable.”

Applicants most likely to secure a graduate job in investment banking via the scheme are those with a 2:1 numerate or financially focused degree (or equivalent), who can demonstrate strong excel skills, an analytical mind and a real interest in financial services. Evidence of an internship in the City or work experience in a similarly fast paced, pressurised environment is particularly key. Typical roles available under the scheme encompass derivative operations, dividends, collateral management, equity trade support & settlements and even some middle office positions.

“There are a few core differences between the official graduate schemes and boot camp contracts,” advises Alex. “Obviously the prestige and security of securing a graduate banking jobvia the official graduate programme is immense and graduates, understandably, are often keen to join at the same time as a group of peers on a structured programme with plenty of hand holding. It is also true that the official scheme offers more varied rotations throughout the bank. However, boot camp contracts also offer training, both on and off the desk, and although new hires will be expected to grasp things quickly they are not just left to sink or swim. There is also an element of internal mobility and contracts can lead to a permanent job offer. Ultimately, it’s a path that should not be discounted out of career snobbery as it could be just the opening someone needs to really kick start their fortunes,” advises Alex.

Established in 1982, Joslin Rowe is one of the leading financial services recruitment firms in the UK and Ireland. On 7 April 2006, international staffing services company Vedior (headquartered in Amsterdam, the Netherlands) raised its stake in Joslin Rowe’s parent company, The Blomfield Group, from 18% to 70%. Jocelyn Rowe recruits for a number of graduate jobs in banking across London, Edinburgh, Glasgow and Dublin including long-term contracts, temporary and permanent roles.

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